Once upon a time, my favorite sous chef was staying here on the Island with me and wanted something different for dinner. We sort of invented Taco Burgers that day. So what was our inspiration? I’d been telling stories about when my brother and I were kids and how Friday night the neighbors would get together for a beverage and a nibble, and go buy the kids dinner to keep them appeased. Our favorite place was Taco Time (goodgoodfreshfresh).
I wanted tacos or bean burritos. My brother did not like anything too different, so the people at Taco Time would make him a taco meat on a hamburger bun treat. It’s a funny thing about memories, I hadn’t thought about those Friday nights in years.
Basically, taco meat in a fast food restaurant is a Sloppy Joe with taco seasoning. We chopped up a bell pepper and an onion and sauteed them in a bit of oil. Next we added about 2 pounds of hamburger and browned it until all the pink was gone. I’m a firm believer in Taco Seasoning. I buy it at a restaurant supply store. I do not care what brand. If you are adverse to pre-made taco seasoning, chili powder, garlic powder and S&P will do the trick. I added several tablespoon of seasoning, about 1/2 cup of ketchup (yes, ketchup) and 1/2 cup of water. Combine, turn down the heat and put a lid on it to allow everything to blend. After a few minutes, give it a taste for flavor. If it seems dry, add more ketchup and water. We like it to get mellow for about 10 minutes or so. We sometimes put corn in it as well. Good color and nice taste addition.
My cooking buddy likes these served on Hawaiian hamburger buns. We tried them on ciabatta rolls the other night, but he wasn’t as impressed. There’s a sweetness to the Hawaiian rolls that pairs well with the ketchup sweetened taco meat. We always add a sprinkling of grated Mexican cheese to the top. We also want the meat mixture to be fairly moist. They’re fast and, according to my sous chef, delicious.
and remember: An adventurous life doses not necessarily mean climbing mountains, swimming with sharks or jumping off cliffs. It means risking yourself by leaving a little piece of you behind in all those you meet along the way. Big kiss, Lynn
From the Recipe Box 